Woolgoolga and the Northern Beaches NOVEMBER 2019 issue #3 FREEWash and vacuum with every service BP Woolgoolga 35 River Street 6654 0111 Welcome to Woopi News www.woopinews.com.au - [email protected] - 0410 052 601 - ABN: 27 728 512 311 We hope you enjoy our latest The committee and members are very back, which makes for an awesome publication. Due to the popular proud of how far they have come. round trip from beach to bush. If you demand of our hard copy editions They’re a hard working group of people are ready for something a little more we have doubled our print run this who also put on a pretty awesome challenging download the ‘Trailforks’ month. If you’re still having difficulty in morning tea every Wednesday and app which is free and shows where accessing a copy please let us know Saturday under the lilly pillies. all the local trails are and rates them via [email protected] or you in difficulty. If you have no idea where can always head to our website www. to start drop into Woodsey’s Wheels woopinews.com.au and view current and they can point you in the right and past editions. direction. Send it – I’d never heard the saying October saw lots of activity in Woopi until now and it’s mentioned twice with one of the highlights being the in this magazine … apparently it’s a Eco Surf Fest. The day included a popular phrase from a viral video on turtle release, a surf comp and a social media. It’s used humorously scavenger hunt plus lots of other eco when performing audacious or style activities, teaching us about the dangerous stunts. Sam from environment and ways to care for it. Woolgoolga Service Centre is using it This was put together by CHCC and an as his catch phrase hashtag during the incredible amount of Woopi volunteers. World Rally Racing competition (See We’re hoping it will be the first of many. more on Page 6). So if you get a pic of Robert Watkin was out there as usual him racing make sure you hashtag it. Lastly I would like to acknowledge the taking photographs. You can see them passing of two beautiful human beings. Our front page pic of Jesse Bocking on our website or click here if reading Sue-Anne Rendell and Guy Guthrie. is to show you another side of the digital version. Many of you would know Guy as one of Woolgoolga and the Northern Beaches. Woolgoolga’s favourite solicitors and in Woopi has always been known for later years you would have seen Guy, it’s beautiful coastline and laid back with his companion Scruffy, around village vibe, but now it is also rapidly town in his wheelchair giving out earning a reputation as an awesome cheeky comments. destination to ride a mountain bike. Mountain Biking is the fastest growing Sue-Anne a much loved Emerald Beach recreational sport in the world and it local and St Francis Xavier School is for a good reason. Not only is it a teacher who fought a long strong battle lot of fun but it keeps you fit, connects against cancer whilst remaining positive people with their natural environment, Woopi Gardens is another amazing and giving to her family and friends. We engages youth and is a sport the community project that has been will miss you both. entire family can share together. It is coming along in leaps and bounds. It also no secret that getting outside Lisa and Brad is also a culmination of many volunteer and breathing in the fresh air is a tonic hours, donations and sponsors. Apart for good mental health. The positive from growing fresh fruit and vegetables, influences this has on a community are their dream is to have a safe, relaxing, well documented with towns across sustainable community meeting place Canada, New Zealand and Tasmania for all to use. Pictured below, you embracing the sport and seeing the will see the start of the brand new benefits first hand. roof which will provide shelter and shade. It will be fitted with a kitchen Woolgoolga locals have some world and necessary facilities plus a new class riding on their doorstep and the composting toilet is being installed. price of admission is free. Sure you need a bike and a helmet but other than that you can go out and explore till your hearts content and it costs you nothing. You do need to invest a bit of energy and some time but the returns are massive. Whether you are looking for a gentle cruise with the family or a white knuckle ride down a steep descent it is all on our doorstep. PS. ... don’t forget to tell them you Try a low tide cruise down Woopi main saw it in Woopi News! beach or a loop around the lake if you are new to riding off-road. Another Cover pic: by Brendan Ray - Sky View option is to ride out to the waterfall and Photography 2 – WOOPI NEWS – WOOLGOOLGA AND THE NORTHERN BEACHES – ISSUE 3 – NOVEMBER 2019 Disabled Surfers Association After experiencing a way for surfers to help other motorbike accident in surfers, but quickly became 1986, which left him with all inclusive of all disabilities the loss of his knee cap, with all sorts of volunteers. Gary Blaschke was feeling Each surfer has a team of alone and missing his love people to help them get on of surfing. Luckily, he had their board, stay on their a few mates join together board and quite often stand to take him out for a surf up on their board. The team to help him regain his ranges from fully trained surf confidence. The exhilaration instructors to the everyday of being back out on the person, young or old, who surf made Gary realise how just wants to help out. The degrees of disability and as ridden by the participants. the benefits of salt water reward of seeing such joy such each session brings Volunteers need absolutely therapy could help so many from people who would not its own little nuances. no experience at all. They in the same place as him. He usually get the chance to Sometimes it takes quite don’t even need to be decided he wanted to share hit the surf is as fulfilling a bit of coaxing to get a confident in the water. If this with anyone who may for you as it is for them. No participant into the water. you don’t want to enter the have suffered a set back to experience is necessary Sometimes we don’t get their ability. as each group has several water at all there are still them in at all. Maybe they From this vision, The Team Leaders who guide plenty of jobs to do on the will just lie on a board on Disabled Surfers the other volunteers. beach. So for anyone who Association of Australia the sand. Hopefully, as time has ever considered coming was formed and some 30 More volunteers means goes by, they will get the along – just do it. You won’t plus years later, Woolgoolga more people have the confidence to enter the regret it and you will be Beach is a regular long time chance to be in the water and ride a wave. Some back time and again.” water and the chance participant of the Mid North stand, some lie down, others So if you want to make a to experience that Coast branch. skylark, some are confined difference, get that feel good amazing feeling of to specially designed Two events are held each feeling whilst helping others, catching a wave. beanbags that sit on the year at our beautiful calm, then head on down to board to give the participant perfect beginners beach, One of Woolgoolga’s Team Woolgoolga Main Beach. Woolgoolga Main. The next Leaders Brett Pilon, shares the support they need. Registration from 8am. is scheduled for Saturday his experience Whatever the situation, the Surfing from 9am till 12noon, 23rd November 2019 then overwhelming reaction is “Being involved as a BBQ lunch and presentation again on February 1st, 2020. one of pure joy from the volunteer at a Disabled to follow. There are also two events Surfers event is one of the Disabled Surfer and in turn on at Jetty Beach in Coffs most rewarding experiences this equates to pure joy from http://disabledsurfers. Harbour on the 26th of you can imagine. The the volunteers. org/nsw/mid-north-coast- October (which has already payoff is the faces of the We are always looking for branch/ or find them on been run) and on the 4th of participants during and new volunteers because facebook. January. after a session in the waves. the more volunteers we Thanks to Robert Watkin for It originally started out as a Each participant has varying have the more waves are the photographs. Proudly Local Supporting Locals Open 7 Days Mon-Fri 7am-5pm, Sat & Sun 8am-4pm 3 Featherstone Drive, Woolgoolga Ph: 6654 1229 WOOPI NEWS – WOOLGOOLGA AND THE NORTHERN BEACHES – ISSUE 3 – NOVEMBER 2019 – 3 Woopi News SPICY SPIN-OFFS FROM thousands and thousands of CURRYFEST dollars needed for insurance, traffic management, hiring After a record attendance of toilets, waste bins, marquees, over 16,000, the Woolgoolga generators, chairs and tables. & Northern Beaches Of course we have to pay for Chamber of Commerce advertising the event and presented donations to pay entertainers, graphic the eight local community designers, electricians, toilet groups that volunteered cleaners and many others.